Showing posts with label growth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label growth. Show all posts
21.6.10
7.6.10
3
My boyfriend's mom Annette is the successful franchise owner of a skincare and cosmetics company. Without a university degree, she's climbed her way from beauty consultant to franchise president and will be the first to attribute her success to having a vision and fully believing in what she does..
Recently she was talking about the power of 3. She believes that 3 is a powerful, symbolic number. Every day she writes her list for the day, things she wants to accomplish in the day, and she's also one to write out affirmations about who she is and who she wants to be.
She's asked me to try to come up with my lists -3 values that guide my life; 3 goals; and 3 things I'd like to master... This sounds easy, but it's actually kind of hard. I'm going to close my eyes and try to think about it for a minute...
...okay, I'm back.
I just looked at the clock. It's already Tuesday morning. Arg. I don't have the brain power to continue tonight. I'll do my best to prioritize my top 3 goals and 3 skills I'd like to master after I get some shuteye. Goal #1. Remember to establish remaining goals...
Recently she was talking about the power of 3. She believes that 3 is a powerful, symbolic number. Every day she writes her list for the day, things she wants to accomplish in the day, and she's also one to write out affirmations about who she is and who she wants to be.
She's asked me to try to come up with my lists -3 values that guide my life; 3 goals; and 3 things I'd like to master... This sounds easy, but it's actually kind of hard. I'm going to close my eyes and try to think about it for a minute...
...okay, I'm back.
3 Guiding Values:
1. Love - to love and be loved. This value could also be called
"Relationships".2. Laughter - to find pleasure and humour in every day.3. Honesty - live life fulfilled, being completely honest to yourself and others.
I just looked at the clock. It's already Tuesday morning. Arg. I don't have the brain power to continue tonight. I'll do my best to prioritize my top 3 goals and 3 skills I'd like to master after I get some shuteye. Goal #1. Remember to establish remaining goals...
2.6.10
On / Off Switch
Admittedly, I've been up and down lately. One day I'm filled with ambition and the next I'm feeling sorry for myself for not being where I want to be right NOW. Ryan tells me I'm overly pensive. I have to agree. I think about things so much that I can make my situation 100 times more dramatic in my head. I have so many great things going on right now - I have a fantastic relationship, great friends, a wonderful family, a great apartment, security, health... so much more than so many people out there. I'm so fortunate. Poor Ryan - he gets the brunt of my colourful emotional rants. Here you go babe, just for you:
1.6.10
Happy Birthday to Me!
For my birthday, I'm buying a new DSLR camera. I'm leaning towards Canon, just because I trust the name, but moreso because I like the idea of being a "rebel". Can't wait to get this beauty in my hands.
Some disappointing news: I called OCAD (Ontario College of Art and Design) today to see about the earliest possible time I could start. I've learned it's not until September 2011. On the bright side, I have all the time in the world to build a solid portfolio and do more soul searching.
Some disappointing news: I called OCAD (Ontario College of Art and Design) today to see about the earliest possible time I could start. I've learned it's not until September 2011. On the bright side, I have all the time in the world to build a solid portfolio and do more soul searching.
31.5.10
I'm 24.
As of 4:57 am, May 29th, 2010, I begin my 25th year. How is it that 24 sounds so much older than 23? Is it just me? I guess I think, "hey, 23 is just one year older than 22... which is just one year older than 21... which is just a couple years away from being a teenager"... okay, I know, a stretch. But still, today I feel older. I get reassuring comments from my friends (all of whom seem to be a couple years older than me) reminding me that 24 is still very young in the scheme of things, with the undertone of "what the heck is she complaining about?! I'm older than she is and she's telling me SHE's old?" ;)
I wouldn't say I'm upset about getting older. I'm not, really. I'm happy with the person I'm becoming with each passing day. I'm especially excited for this year, because this year, I'm going to make some exciting things happen for myself.
Right now I'm looking at some art schools. I scoffed at some of these while I was in high school because they were just "colleges" to me at the time. If I could talk to 17 year old me right now, I'd give myself the same talk my art teacher gave me back then - "GAH! You need to go to school for art, Sarah! What are you thinking leaving this behind?! GAHHH!" In my head there were only two options - i. go to art school and become a starving artist, or ii. go to school for business, make some money, then figure out what I really want to do. Had I just put i. before ii. I may have realized I could have both without the starving part. This wisdom only comes from trial and error. 17 year old Sarah probably would still be as stubborn if 24 year old me were to travel back in time and give her a talking to. There's no point wondering "what if" because that's what's brought me here today. I wouldn't have made the friends I've made, I wouldn't have met my man, I wouldn't have experienced so many more things that coming to school in Ottawa has given me.
No regrets. Just some lessons learned, and some new found ambition to make things right, embracing my nature as an artist.
I wouldn't say I'm upset about getting older. I'm not, really. I'm happy with the person I'm becoming with each passing day. I'm especially excited for this year, because this year, I'm going to make some exciting things happen for myself.
Right now I'm looking at some art schools. I scoffed at some of these while I was in high school because they were just "colleges" to me at the time. If I could talk to 17 year old me right now, I'd give myself the same talk my art teacher gave me back then - "GAH! You need to go to school for art, Sarah! What are you thinking leaving this behind?! GAHHH!" In my head there were only two options - i. go to art school and become a starving artist, or ii. go to school for business, make some money, then figure out what I really want to do. Had I just put i. before ii. I may have realized I could have both without the starving part. This wisdom only comes from trial and error. 17 year old Sarah probably would still be as stubborn if 24 year old me were to travel back in time and give her a talking to. There's no point wondering "what if" because that's what's brought me here today. I wouldn't have made the friends I've made, I wouldn't have met my man, I wouldn't have experienced so many more things that coming to school in Ottawa has given me.
No regrets. Just some lessons learned, and some new found ambition to make things right, embracing my nature as an artist.
28.5.10
Zen & the Art of Making a Living
I'm not the only one on a quest to find purpose in this world. It seems so many friends around me are seeking the same truth. Where should I focus my energy? What do I love enough to spend almost every day of my life doing? My high school friend, Ali is asking the same questions in her blog "Where's My Calling?" and another friend of a friend I've found in my facebook feed, Vanessa, is hoping to find her life's zen, captured in her blog "The Year of Passion".
Maybe it's our age group - the early to mid-twenties. In the past year I feel like I've literally stood still and watched the world turn in front of me. It's as if childhood was a dream. One day turns to another in a whirl of colour and play. A life dictated by play continues on through high school, university, and even a few years after that, caught in the phase between dream and waking. For me, it's as if I've just been awaken. It's the morning, but I can still relive my dream perfectly in my mind. My childhood was fun, spontaneous, uncommitted, jovial, care-free, exciting. In no way do I want to lose that. Au contraire. My dilemma is trying to harness that excitement every day, but with a purpose. I suppose I want to transform my sense of play into love for what I do (play+work=love). Work and play can't be separate.
A passage from Zen & the Art of Making a Living explains this well:
The only thing I've ever truly loved is art. Not necessarily fine art, but any type of creative art. I love creating, designing, crafting, building, matching, pairing, painting, sculpting, sketching, doodling... the list goes on. I never thought that these "fun" things could be work. I'm envious of those who knew that from the start! Arg.
I think I've finally chosen a direction. Now I just need the tenacity to work with it. Tomorrow is my birthday. Let's see what the next year holds...
Maybe it's our age group - the early to mid-twenties. In the past year I feel like I've literally stood still and watched the world turn in front of me. It's as if childhood was a dream. One day turns to another in a whirl of colour and play. A life dictated by play continues on through high school, university, and even a few years after that, caught in the phase between dream and waking. For me, it's as if I've just been awaken. It's the morning, but I can still relive my dream perfectly in my mind. My childhood was fun, spontaneous, uncommitted, jovial, care-free, exciting. In no way do I want to lose that. Au contraire. My dilemma is trying to harness that excitement every day, but with a purpose. I suppose I want to transform my sense of play into love for what I do (play+work=love). Work and play can't be separate.
A passage from Zen & the Art of Making a Living explains this well:
"Life and work are not things apart. Work is more than gaining privileges and possessions; it is ongoing, ecstatic, living experience. When we really love what we are doing, we no longer feel as though we must be king. We can just be ALIVE at work. When we live in the bliss, there is no difficulty that is insurmountable. If we miss the bliss, there is no compensation that is adequate." (15)It's not the person I remember saying this, it's the message that has stayed with me over the years. I think it was one of my teachers, but I can't remember exactly. He or she said something along these lines: "So many people spend all their energy trying to determine their passion. When asking yourself, 'what do I want be when I grow up?', you need not look very hard. Often times, your passion is right in front of your nose. It's what you love to do and therefore do well. It's your favourite hobby or past time. When you translate this into your life's work, that's when you'll be complete."
The only thing I've ever truly loved is art. Not necessarily fine art, but any type of creative art. I love creating, designing, crafting, building, matching, pairing, painting, sculpting, sketching, doodling... the list goes on. I never thought that these "fun" things could be work. I'm envious of those who knew that from the start! Arg.
I think I've finally chosen a direction. Now I just need the tenacity to work with it. Tomorrow is my birthday. Let's see what the next year holds...
7.5.10
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